No More Namarie
by Nightdew
Summary: Final part of The Handmaid of Gondor. As Aragorn is laid to rest, Arwen prepares to fade from the world and Legolas to sail West at last. Elireth finds herself still living and faced with the ultimate choice. Where does her future lie in the end?
1. Chapter 1

_By popular request. This is the final episode - it's short and (bitter)sweet and if you don't like it I'm sorry but that's just the way it has turned out._

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Chapter 1

Elireth stood with a heart like marble as the doors closed for the final time on the resting place of the King Elessar. She had lived too long. As a blessing and a curse had her life been since she tasted the kiss of immortals in the power of Bond of Love. But last of the Elf-friends was she now indeed become, and long since without friends of her own kind to stand with her.

Eldarion stood with his arm about his mother, grave and kingly beneath the winged crown, resigned to what now awaited him. Arwen's time would come soon; this Elireth knew. When the Queen had returned from the Silent Street on the day of the King's passing, it seemed that the light of her eyes had at last been utterly quenched, as nightfall in winter that comes without a star. Elireth had served her faithfully; never again deserting her from the time Arwen returned from Dale, jubilant to find her handmaiden had remained true in the face of temptation. The years had been golden, filled with joy and peace. But the dying days were now come and Elireth was alone. Never again would the Queen be her confidante.

How she had trembled as the tiny beds of Merry and Pippin were laid beside those of the great King! To think that she should have outlived her hobbit friends who had been with her during the days of Shadow, when the fate of Gondor rested on a knife- edge and she herself had slipped into darkness for a time. Her legs had given way, even as they had done in those days, and the young maids beside her were forced to hold her up. Haleth and Hareth, their names were, named for heroines of old, for the days of the King Elessar had been days when legends were renewed and the marvellous was made commonplace. The days of Eldarion would not be so, though he was a fine man and most worthy of kingship. No, all was changed now, and the only one who had not changed, for whom and because of whom Elireth lived, would soon pass from among them also.

On the other side of the doors, in front of the great crowd, Legolas and Gimli stood, with their people behind them. They were holding hands and both wept openly. Gimli was old now according to his kind, frail and silver-haired, though proud as ever in his bearing and demeanour. Legolas looked to Elireth just as he ever had, from the very day she had gazed down from the city walls and looked her first upon the Fair Folk. She knew this would be the last time the Folk of the Wood or of the Mountain would be seen in the White City, for the days of the Fellowship were now ended, and with them the only life she had known since she forsook the work of the Healers. What would now come to pass, she could not imagine.

The royal family retired quickly after the close of the ceremony, and the courtiers and mourners dispersed soon after. There would be no room for intruders into their private grief. The coldness that had come over the Queen was all too evident and the time with her son and daughters all too precious in its brevity. Elireth retired to her own apartments, these rooms that had been her home for so long. She felt hollow and empty. Waves of mourning swept over her, yet she knew not what it was for which she truly mourned. Life, it seemed, was over.

A scarce-heard sound at the door caused her to turn her head as Legolas stepped onto the threshold. Instinctively, she flew to his arms, and each held the other in silence as many tears fell. Elireth would that she could hold on forever. She feared to look up. She feared the words that would now be spoken.

"The time has come, _gwathel_," said Legolas. "The sundering of the Fellowship is at last upon us and, alas, of our fellowship also. How long do you think your mistress will remain?"

"Not long," said Elireth, faintly.

"Then I must speak with her before she goes," Legolas replied, "and farewell the daughter of Elrond before the last ship sails."

"And where must I go?" asked Elireth, in a choking voice. "I am too old now to serve another mistress and grow weary of my days, blessed though they have been."

"Then may it be that you go swiftly to your fathers," said Legolas, solemnly, "To the Men of Númenor and the Elendili of old, none of whom would be too great to reverence you, Elireth, Elf-friend of the last days. Dear to me have been both your friendship and your love; their light will shine always in my home beyond the Western Sea."

Then Elireth buried her face again in Legolas' cloak and sobbed until she feared her heart would break. She could not bring herself to say farewell, either in the tongue of Men or Elves, and Legolas too was silent. But he kissed her forehead and departed.

Outside, in the courtyard of the palace, Gimli the Dwarf was waiting as his friend returned.

"Alas, alas for this evil day!" cried Legolas. "All who knew Aragorn son of Arathorn loved him as themselves. But he has gone to his rest at last. May he find peace in death. But Anduin flows away to the sea, and the sea calls us home at last. The grey ships shall sail from Ithilien, Gimli, but first I must take my leave of the Lady who no ship can now bear away."

"And what of the maid?" said Gimli. "What of Elireth?"

"I have farewelled her," said Legolas, casting his eyes to the ground.

"Does she not sail with us?" said Gimli, with some surprise.

"It is not her part to do so," Legolas replied.

"Your father thought not so," said Gimli. "And his good graces were passing hard to come by."

"Name not my father to me in this hour!" cried Legolas, the cold starlight of his eyes refracting through clear Elven tears. "Forgive me, Gimli," he said, as the tears traced their path on his fair cheeks. "Elireth's place is with her people." And he sighed as he walked away.

"And who might they be, after all these years?" muttered Gimli. But he kept his own counsel for a time.

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_namarie _farewell

_gwathel _sister


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Elireth remained in her private chamber, as evening darkened into night and the stars came out one by one in the windy sky. So many memories were held within this room, objects and keepsakes of so many friends and places she had known as the handmaid of Queen Arwen. Books of herb lore inherited at her Aunt Ioreth's passing stood on a shelf beside a silver swan from Dol Amroth and a magical wooden toy from Dale. Above the bed hung a quaintly uneven piece of embroidery, Elanor Gamgee's first attempt at Elven beadwork from the time she and her parents had visited Gondor. Out of the window was a beautiful nighttime view of the Shire Gardens, the soft starlight reflecting in a pool where a model water wheel splashed gently.

She turned to a sturdy Dwarf-made wardrobe, wherein hung all her gowns of office, some of which had been stitched by the High Elves of Rivendell themselves in the days of the coronation. It had on its door a looking glass. Elireth glanced with thoughtful eyes at the face reflected in it. Twice as long as any of her contemporaries had she walked in the halls of Minas Tirith, and yet she still never looked more than forty-five on a bad day, still less on a good. But, as she had said to Legolas, the weariness of days had come upon her. Was he right that the time had now come for her to join her noble fathers and be released from the circles of the world? The Gift of the One to Men was intended to bring peace but, at the back of her mind, white shores still whispered and a great restlessness stirred.

Elireth blew out the lamp and snuggled into her narrow bed. The insomnia of her youth was gone and dreams came easily to her now. Swiftly, before her inner eye, grew a picture of her mother and Aunt Ioreth standing upon the walls of Minas Tirith, looking down towards the Anduin.

"You must keep her from the Elves," her mother said, wringing her hands. "They will come to her with their bright eyes and enchant her."

"It is too late," Ioreth replied, "too late. They are come and indeed they are both great and fair and Elireth's heart is taken."

"Then she is lost to us forever," her mother said.

And the picture faded.

And Elireth saw what she had seen so many times since she had first kissed Legolas and every time he had given her the briefest peck ever since – a white shore with long waves that glittered with the stars of Elbereth. And upon the shore stood the bearers of the three great Elven rings, Mithrandir, Galadriel and Elrond. And they held aloft the rings of Fire, Water and Air. And Elireth wondered as she looked, wherein lay the power of Earth? Then, in her dream, she saw the earth, the good earth of Ithilien, and it was running through her fingers. And, among the sods of earth, ran many, many red and white blooms of the plant, Bond of Love, and they were falling about her feet.

Suddenly, Elireth awoke. She was clutching the buckle of Legolas' quiver belt in her hand, and yet another grey day was dawning in the silent city.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When the time came at last, Elireth was prepared. To all others in the White City, it would seem that their beloved Queen had melted away in the darkness of the night, but many years in the service of the Evenstar had made Elireth sensitive to her mistress's movements.

"So, the hour has arrived, my Lady," said Elireth, stepping into Arwen's chamber. The Queen stood by the window; a solitary figure dressed in black, with her beautiful raven hair hung simply down her back.

"I have set all your affairs in order," Elireth continued, outwardly calm although inwardly her heart quailed. ""And mine also. I am ready to go."

Arwen turned towards her and shook her head sadly.

"Dear Elireth," she said, her soft, clear voice filled with emotion. "You said you would remain by my side and so you have, for good and for ill. You may travel with me for a time."

Then the Queen took from her wardrobe a grey cloak of Lothlórien, like to the one Legolas wore, as had all the Fellowship. And she wrapped it about herself and fastened it with its leaf brooch. And she took another for Elireth, exactly the same, and gave it to her to wear over her gown.

"Nothing more shall we need," said the Queen, "no horse, no provisions. For this shall be our last journey and we shall not return."

Then they put up the hoods of their Elven cloaks and passed out of the city, walking silently through the dark streets. None saw them pass, and they walked side by side without a word until they came nigh to the Greywood.

"And now, my dear child, we must say goodbye," said Arwen, turning to her handmaiden. "I go to the land of Lórien, to Cerin Amroth to make the _niphredil_ my pillow and the mallorn leaves my blanket, and sleep until Estel shall wake me."

"No! No!" cried Elireth. Panic rose in her breast and she clung to Arwen, shaking. "Take me with you, my Lady! What is there for me here but emptiness? Let me lay beside you at last, my Queen. Take me with you!"

"Not now," said Arwen, softly. "That is not your path."

"Then what is my path?" Elireth wept.

"I no longer see the paths of others," the Queen replied. "Only the path that winds to the hill where once I forsook the Twilight. I go to my heart. You must do likewise."

"Ever has my heart been torn in two," cried Elireth. "Duty and desire have battled within me, and now you would seem to deny me both."

"Your duty toward me has come to an end," replied Arwen. "The clamour is over. In the stillness, listen to your heart. You will hear its call, even as I have done."

Then mistress and maid embraced one another, and many were the tears that were shed. Elireth clung to her Queen, not wanting to ever let her go, but slowly, gently, Arwen released herself from Elireth's grasp and stepped once more onto the road.

"_Namárië_!" she whispered.

Then she turned and disappeared into the night, and Elireth saw her no more.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Silence had now come – utter silence. Not a leaf stirred. Even Elireth's own breath seemed stilled as, in the blackness, she tried to commune with her heart. Where did the path lead for her? What was the voice within saying?

As she listened intently, it seemed that she did hear a sound. And the sound was coming from the woods, and sound of many voices, strange and fair, singing together:

A! Elbereth Gilthoniel!

silivren penna míriel

o menel aglar elenath,

Gilthoniel, A! Elbereth!

And then she saw the Elven lights coming through the trees, and saw the people of the Hidden Grove walking slowly, silver lamps in their outstretched hands, singing as they came. The lights of their eyes glittered beneath the shining stars, for they were going to Elvenhome at last. As they passed by Elireth, she recognised Hithuiel, the Elf-maid she had often stayed with. And Hithuiel smiled as she passed and put into Elireth's hand a spray of Bond of Love. And the Elf-maiden behind her also smiled and placed Bond of Love into Elireth's hand. Elf after Elf gave to Elireth Bond of Love as they passed, until she stood with her arms full of it.

And then the song changed, and she heard the Elves singing:

Few mortal eyes have seen the light

That lies there ever, long and bright.

Galadriel! Galadriel!

Clear is the water of your well;

White is the star in your white hand;

Unmarred, unstained is leaf and land.

And Elireth looked and there, among the Elves, walked Gimli son of Gloin. Axe and armour were now put away; he wore only his grey Elven cloak upon his clothes and his silver hair and beard hung long and loose over all. In his outstretched hand he carried, not a lamp, but a crystal prism decorated with gold and mithril – the container of the golden lock of the Lady Galadriel. Peace and solemnity were in his eyes, and he turned and smiled at Elireth with a look of affection and reassurance.

And now Elireth's face shone and her eyes gleamed with the clear light they had once borrowed from this fair people. For, behind all the ranks of Elves, walked a pure white horse set with a green cloth hung with golden bells. And upon this horse rode Legolas Greenleaf, lord of the Wood-Elves of Ithilien. The jewel she had brought him from his father was hung about his neck. His Lothlórien cloak, the cloak of the Fellowship, was about him, but his clothes were silken and his crown was not green but silver, glinting upon his golden hair. In his hands he held a white harp and, as he rode, he sang:

To the Sea, to the Sea! The white gulls are crying,

The wind is blowing, and the white foam is flying.

West, west away, the round sun is falling.

Grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling,

The voices of my people that have gone before me?

Then he stopped before Elireth as she stood with the Bond of Love in her arms. And he looked intently at her with his keen, shining eyes.

"Do you hear them?" he said, softly.

"I have heard them since the day you were recalled to life," she said. "But I thought their voices were not meant for me."

Legolas nodded. "I too," he said. "But it seems the Bond of Love cannot be so easily undone. A light will indeed shine beyond the Sea but it will not be the light of memory."

And then he smiled warmly, as if the sun should have come out in the middle of the night to revive her heart. He took the Star of Melian and bound it to her brow.

"Your place is with your people," he said. "Come, ride with me."

And he lifted her onto his horse before him to go to where the ship waited with open sails, verily the Elven prince of her childhood, who she had ever dreamed would come riding out of Ithilien and carry her away, never to return.

THE END

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"Elven hymn to Elbereth" _Lord of the Rings _p. 1066 ("The Grey Havens", _The Return of the King)_

"In Dwimordene, in Lorien..." _Lord of the Rings _p.536 ("The King of the Golden Hall", _The Two Towers)_

"Legolas's Song of the Sea" _Lord of the Rings _p. 992-3 ("The Fields of Cormallen", _The Return of the King_)

Tolkien, JRR, _The Lord of the Rings _(London: Harper Collins, 1993) First published in Great Britain by George Allen & Unwin 1954, 1955

Elireth bids you a fond farewell. What happens next is up to your own imagination and preference...


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